By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University competed against Linfield University in a Northwest Conference women's tennis match on Sunday, March 14 at Salem Tennis and Swim Club. The Wildcats defeated the Bearcats, 8-1, as Linfield upped its record to 3-2 on the season, 2-0 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 1-1 overall, 1-1 in the NWC.

The lone victory for the Bearcats was at #6 singles, where Camille Gibney (Fy., La Crescenta, CA/Crescenta Valley HS) won by default over Allena Wong of Linfield, who was unable to compete.

Linfield won the #1 singles match as Tessa Kern defeated Sarah Dean (Sr., Boise, ID/Timberline HS), 6-1, 6-0. At #1 doubles, Kern and Lexie Matsunaga downed Dean and Siena Ginbsburg, 8-3. The #2 doubles match was won by Linfield's team of Taryn Fujimori and Haley Fujimori over Sylvia Marr (Sr., Grants Pass, OR/Hidden Valley HS) and Alyssa Siobhan Oberg (Grad., Roseville, CA/Oakmont HS) of Willamette, 8-2.

In addition to Kern, other singles winners for the Wildcats were Matsunaga at #2, Taryn Fujimori at #3, Haley Fujimori at #4, and Maggie Fiocchi at #5.

Willamette will return to action on Saturday, March 20, when the Bearcats will host Pacific Lutheran University in NWC action. Match time is set for 1 p.m. (PDT) at the WU Tennis Courts, but will move to 2:15 p.m. if the teams move indoors at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club.